Landmark Dates in Democratic Party History

from the DNC website

1792

Organized by Thomas Jefferson as a Congressional Caucus to fight for the Bill of Rights and against the elite Populist Party

1798

Became the "party of the common man" and was officially called the Democratic-Republicans

1800

Jefferson elected as the first Democratic President
Negotiated the Louisiana Purchase

1808

James Madison elected President

1814

Won the War of 1812
Strengthened the armed forces

1816

James Monroe elected President
Established the Monroe Doctrine

1824

John Quincy Adams elected President
Party splits as four Democratic candidates ran

1828

Andrew Jackson elected President
Created the national convention process, the party platform, and reunified the Party on the issue of states' rights

1837

Martin Van Buren elected President

1840

Officially named the Democratic Party

1844

James Polk elected President
Annexed the Oregon Territory
Defeated Mexico
Gained the Republic of Texas and the southwestern territories

1852

Franklin Pierce elected President

1856

James Buchanan elected President

1860

Democratic Party formally split over slavery
Northern wing supported Stephen A. Douglas
Southern wing supported John F. Breckenridge

1870s

Democratic Party reached its weakest point under Grant's Administration
Democratic southern base was disenfranchised by the Civil War and Reconstruction

1876

Samuel Tilden ran unsuccessfully for President, a predecessor of the Progressive reformers of the 1900s

1884

Grover Cleveland elected President; also elected in 1892
Reformed the Civil Service system for government employees, reducing the number of jobs awarded on the basis of patronage

1896

William Jennings Bryan ran unsuccessfully for President; also ran in 1900 and 1908
Led a movement of agrarian reformers
Supported the right of women's suffrage
Supported the progressive graduated income tax
Supported the direct election of Senators

1900s

Party became predominant in local urban machine politics

1912

Woodrow Wilson elected President
Led the country through World War I
Fought for the League of Nations
Established the Federal Reserve Board
Passed the first labor and child welfare laws

1920s

Democrats were divided over the issue of Prohibition
Alfred Smith ran for the Presidency - first Catholic candidate
Democrats helped to establish the first primary system

1932

Franklin Delano Roosevelt elected
President brought the nation out of the Great Depression
Guided us through most of World War II
Established the Social Security System
Established the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Reformed the national banking system
Established the Tennessee Valley Authority
Established the Works Progress Administration
Formed the National Industrial Recovery Act
Established the Agriculture Adjustment Admin.

1945

Harry S Truman became President
Established the Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Europe after World War II
Established the Truman Doctrine, calling for U.S. intervention where necessary to protect nations from communism
Established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

1952

Adlai Stevenson ran unsuccessfully for President; also in 1956

1953-60

Democratic-controlled Congress passed the first civil rights legislation in 85 years

1960

John F. Kennedy elected President
Negotiated a treaty banning atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons
Created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Created the Peace Corps

1963

Lyndon B. Johnson became President
Passage of the Civil Rights Act
Creation of Medicare
Formation of the Great Society programs and the War on Poverty

1976

Jimmy Carter elected President
Negotiated Panama Canal treaties
Negotiated Camp David peace treaties between Egypt and Israel

1982

Congressional Democrats helped establish a national plan for disposal of nuclear waste

1983

Congress, after Reagan's opposition, approved a bill establishing a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1984

Democratic Congress prevented a constitutional amendment banning abortion and stopped a bill to lower the minimum wage for teenagers
Democratic Presidential candidate Walter Mondale nominated Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first woman vice-presidential candidate

1985

Democratic pressure in the House led to sanctions against South Africa

1986

November elections converted a 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate into a 55-45 Democratic advantage

1987

The 100th Congress, led by Democrats, overrode Reagan's 1986 veto of the Clean Water bill

1990

Americans with Disabilities Act passed
Head Start expanded
Clean Air bill rewritten

1992

Bill Clinton elected President

1993

Passage of major legislative initiatives begins, led by President Clinton and the Democratic Congress:
Economic Package: contained the largest deficit-cutting plan in history
Student Loan Reform Act: increased access to higher education for millions
National Service Act: helps students get tuition assistance through serving communities
The Brady Bill: the five day waiting period keeps convicted felons from buying guns
National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter): opens up access to voter registration
Family & Medical Leave Act: offers job protection & unpaid leave during a family need
NAFTA: creating hundreds of thousands of jobs by opening our trading borders with Mexico and Canada

1994

Passage of major legislative initiatives continues:
The Crime Bill: the toughest and most comprehensive crime bill ever; puts 100,000 more cops on our streets and combats domestic violence through the Violence Against Women Act.
School-to-Work Opportunities Act: Prepares young people for their first jobs and continuing education
GATT: the largest trade agreement in history

1995